Social media workshops bear broad fruit

Greetings, friends! After hosting three recent, workshops -- two sessions on Community Contribution, and one session on Tout for beginners, in just eight days, this is what I've learned: 1. You don't have to be under 30, 40, 50, or even 60, to "get" the whole social media phenomenon. Many of our most enthusiastic "labbers" are card-carrying Baby Boomers. In many cases, this demographic has more time than their younger counterparts to experiment with social media, and have no problem announcing: "this is all new to me" or "I'm here to learn anything I can" or "Watch out, I'll be a after your job soon" lol. Actually, no one has quite said that. Yet. 2. This one is similar to No. 1. Milenials -- and feel free to quote me on this one -- don't have all the answers. OK. When it comes to social media, they do have many, if not most of the answers. But every now and then they do let me teach them a thing or two. For example -- "the coffee machine is over here." OK, seriously. A millenial in yesterday's workshop was unfamiliar with the social media platform "Tout", home to a mushrooming network of short-form videographers, much like you and me, who create 15-second videos to A. promote their brand, B. just for fun, or C. both. * Tuesday workshops at the media lab totally rock. On Tuesday's, visitors to the lab are lively, prepared and enthusiastic. Monday's and Friday's, are more of a challenge, with people just recovering from or busy preparing for the weekend. As for Wednesdays and Thursdays, not sure yet. We're pretty green behind the ears and so far all of our workshops have taken place on Tuesdays, so I'm running with it. (But if anyone would like to pitch good argument for Wednesday or Thursday, I'd love to hear it because I think we just might be ready to blow the roof off this place. * So many people hungry for knowledge. Today, Tout participant Sarah Jane Hanson downloaded the Tout app on her Android, then filmed and posted her first, short-form video. The sense of accomplishment she experienced was palpable. "Can't way to go home and play with this," she said on the way out. Last week Glenda Williams promptly booked a one-on-one with me to establish her travel blog "Gateway to Travel Plus" and Jennifer Meyers,

even blogged about her experience here, asking the question, Social Media: Is it for you?.
If you would like to book an appointment with yours truly, Media Lab Director Maryanne MacLeod, email me at maryanne.macleod@macombdaily.com. You can also read about and rsvp to upcoming workshops at meetup.com. See you in the lab.